Electric condenser



- Feb. l5, 1927.

, 1,617,618 H. A. DOUGLAS Emscmuc commnsn Filed June 16, 1924 l l l YPatented Peb. 15, 1927.

YUNirED STATES HARRY A. DOUGLAS, OF BRONSON, MICHIGAN.

ELECTRIC CONDEN SER.

Application mea rune 1e, 1924. sei-iai No. 720,240.

My inyentipn relates to electric condensers and resides 1n the provlsionof improved f means for adjusting vthe capacity thereof.

In accordance with one characteristic of my invention, at least one ofthe condenser relation with the slidably supported plate. A

AIn accordance with another characteristic of the invention, one of thecondenser sides f is provided with at least two plates that are movablewith respect to the other condenser side and withrespect to each other.Gearing is placed `in actuating relation with both of these relativelymovable plates, there beinglost-motion connection between said gearingand one of theplates whereby this plate is not moved during a portion ofthe movement of the other movable plate, this arrangement enabling thefiner adjustment 'of the condenser capacity after the coarser adjustmentis secured vby the simultaneous movement of both movable plates.

A The invention will be more fully explained in connection with theaccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a condenserconstructed in accordance with the preferred yembodiment of theinvention; Fig. 21's asectional view on line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig'. 3 is asectional view on line 32-3 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 is a view, somewhatdiagrammatic, showing three adjustable condenser plates pertaining toone condenser side, the upper condenser plate and contiguous parts beingviewed on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the plate in the intermediate portion ofthis view and contiguous parts being viewed on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 andthe lowermost condenser plate of this view being viewed on line 6 6 ofFig. 3.

A frame is employed for supporting the condenser sides, this framebeingpreferabh1 rectangular and having its opposite sides 1 and 2 formedwith grooves 3 in which the plates 4 of the stator side of the condenserare fixed and grooves 5 alternated with the grooves 3l in which thesingle plates 6 and 7 and the group of plates 8 of the adjustablecondenser side are slidable, the frame thus constituting a guide. Theframe sides land 2 are of insulation, the remaining sides 9 and- 10 ofthe frame being preferably metallic. y The frame side 10 electricallyconnects the plates 4 of the stator condenser side. Supporting rods11pass through the frame sides 9 and 10 and are employed to mount thecondenser Vupon some suitable support, as the panel 11. The grooves 3,for convenience in manufacture, are coextensive with the frame sides 1and 2, although they need be co-eXtensive only with the pla-tes 4 of thefixed condenser side. VThe other grooves are made co-eXtensive with theframe sides 1 and 2 and are suliiciently long to permit the adjustablecondenser side to be placed fully in the zone of the fixed or statorside of the condenser and to be moved out of this zone to the extentdesired in adjust-ing the condenser capacity.

yGearing is desirably employed for movingV the plates of the adjustablecondenser side. This gearing includes pinions that are individual toeach plate of the adjustable condenser side. These pinions are de- Fsirably formed by providing their teeth in the central metallic pinionelement 12, the portions of this pinion element which are in the planesof the plates of the adjustable condenser side constituting the pinionsthat are relatively individual to these plates. rlhe plates of theadjustable condenser side are electrically connected by thevpinionelement 12. The adjustable condenser side may bel connected with thecircuit conductor 12 by means of the binding screw 122 passing through aplate 123 which is interposed between the flange 124 upon the pinionelement 12 and the frame side 2. A coiled spring 125 surrounds the innerreduced extension of the pinion element 12 and is interposed between anut 126 on this extension and the stationary plate 127, said springpressing the flange 124 into irm electrical contact with the plate-'123. The pinion element 12 has an outer reduced extension, passingthrough the panel 11 and equipped with a knob 128 upon its outer endwhereby the pinion element may be turned.-

A rack 13 is directly formed upon the condenser plate 6 that is in meshwith the teeth upon the gear element 12. The plate 7 isL provided with arack 14 which is formed upon a metallic bar 15 that is interposedbetween the lugs 16 upon this plate, the rack bar 15 being shorter thanthe space between the lugs so that the rack bar may have lost motionbefore engaging the lug 16 from which it happens to be separated. Eachof the plates 8 is provided with a rack 17 which is formed upon ametallic rack bar 18 that is interposed between the lugs 19 upon thecorresponding plate 8, the rack bar 18 being shorter than the spacebetween the lugs 19 so that each rack bar 18 may have lost motion beforeengaging the lug 19, from which it is separated. The lugs 19 upon theplates 8 are spaced apart equal distances, the space between each pairof lugs 19 being greater than the space between the lugs 16 upon plate7. The rack bars 18, also, are of equal length. When the condenser isadjusted to furnish no capacity the rack bars are in engagement with thelugs to the left of the same and the pinions engaging all of the racksare at the right hand ends of these racks. lVhen the condenser isadjusted to furnish capacity, the pinion element 12 is turned clockwise.The plate 6 is the iirst to be moved, the movement of the plate 7follows, and simultaneous movement o' the plates 8 follows the movementof the plate 7. The plate 7 begins to move when the plate 6 reaches theline 2O and all of the plates 8 begin to move when the plates 6 and 7reach the line 21. It will be observed that the plates havin the racks,the racks and the pinions are a reast of each other, the pinion having asubstantially ixed axis of rotation.

After the capacity ofV the condenser has been coarsely adjusted, thisadjustment may be refined by the movement of plate 6 unaccompanied bythe movements of the plates 7 and 8 providing this adjusting movement ofthe plate 6 is effected while the rack 111 is being moved, in its lostmotion range, that is, without moving the plate 7 Similarly,- bothplates 6 and 7 may be moved without movingl the plates 8 providing themovements ofthe plates 6 and 7 are e'lected while the rack bars 18 arenot in actuating engage-` ment with the plates 8.

Changes may be made without departing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. An electric condenser whose sides are in lost motion connection withthe plate that is provided with it, said condenser also includingrelatively fixed pinions meshing with said racks.

3. An electric condenser whose Sides are -formed of plates, one sidehaving two plates that are movable with respect to the other side andwith respect to each other, and each provided with a toothed rack, onerack being in lost motion connection with the plate that is providedwith it, said condenser also including relatively ixed coaxial pinionsmeshing with said racks.

4. In an electric condenser, a fixed plate, two plates havingrectilinear movement into and out oit overlying relation to the xedplate, a single operator for the plates having rectilinear movement, anda lost motion. connection between th-e operator and one of saidrectilinearly movable plates.

5. An electric condenser comprising a plurality of spaced fixed plates,a plurality of spaced movable plates shiftable into and out of overlyingrelation with respect to said iixed plates, a rack individual to eachmovable plate, and a pinion operatively engaged with all of the racksfor shifting said movable plates.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

